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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "20 craven park, harlesden"
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "hundred thousand united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash)
• This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
  
  1. They don't notify winners by email.
  2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
  3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
  4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
  5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
  6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
  7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • nelsonnickagent@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.Lars Jerry" <mrlarsjerry@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: nelsonnickagent@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2006 05:49:09 -0500
Subject: Microsoft Award Notification

Microsoft Award Team
20 Craven Park,

Harlesden London NW10

United Kingdom
Ref: BTD/968/05
Batch: 409978E

Dear Sir/Madam,
                                     WINNING NOTIFICATION

The prestigious Micrsoft and Aol has set out and successfully organised a Sweepstakes marking the end of year anniversary and we have rolled out over $250,000(Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand American Dollars) for the end of year Anniversary Draws. Participants for this draws were randomly selected and drawn from a wide range of web hosts which we enjoy their patronage.

 

The selection was made through a computer draw system attaching personalised email addresses to ticket numbers. Bill Gates is sharing his fortune, if you ignore this, you will regret it later. Microsoft and AOL are now the largest Internet companies and in an effort to make sure that Internet Explorer remains the most widely used program, Microsoft and AOL are running an e-mail data test.

 

Your email address as indicated was drawn and attached to ticket number 008795727498 with serial numbers BTD/9080648302/06 and drew the lucky numbers 14-21-25-39-40-47(20) which subsequently won you $100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Dollars) already issued in a cheque as one of the 10 jackpot winners in this draw. You have therefore won the entire winning sum of $100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Dollars). The draws registered as Draw number one was conducted in Brockley, London United Kingdom .

 

These Draws are commemorative and as such special. Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our Africa booklet representative in West Africa as indicated in your play coupon, In view of this, your US$100,000.00 (Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) cheque would be released to you by our Fiduciary Agent in West Africa, Our Fiduciary agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your cheque as soon as you contact him.

Make contact with your designated agent who shall by duty guide you through the process to facilitate the release of your winning cheque. To file for your claim, Please Contact your fiduciary agent with the details below:

 

MR Nick Nelson

Microsoft Promotion Award Team
Email: nelsonnickagent@yahoo.co.uk

You are advised to contact your Fiduciary Agent with the following details to avoid unnecessary delays and complications with your

Name (in Full) :

Country:

Address:

Direct Telephone No.:

Age:

Occupation/position

Ticket Number:

Batch Number:

Serial Number:

 

Thank you for being part of this promotional award program.

Our special thanks and gratitude to Bill Gates and his associates. We wish you the best of luck as you spend your good fortune. Thank you for being part of our commemorative end of year Anniversary Draws. Happy end of year celebration.

 

Sincerely,
MR.LARS JERRY

Microsoft Promotion Team

 

NB:
PLEASE NOTE! Any claim not made before seven (10) working days from date of notification will indicate that the winner has voluntarily forfeited his/her winnings, also note that all winnings must be claimed not later than 30th of November 2006

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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam